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A major international airport is facing increasing scrutiny after investigators released their preliminary findings into a series of runway incidents and near-collisions.
The incidents, involving passenger planes, all occurred at Sydney Airport in the past three months.
The Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) released preliminary reports on September 30.
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The incidents began on July 27, when a Qantas Boeing 737 was cleared to cross a runway in front of a landing QantasLink Dash 8, according to the ATSB.
On August 9, a Jetstar Airbus A320 was forced to brake suddenly to prevent a Qatar Airways Boeing 777 from being towed into its path. A flight attendant on board the Jetstar plane fell during this sudden braking and fractured her wrist.
Australia’s Sydney Airport is under scrutiny after investigators released preliminary findings into several runway incidents involving passenger planes. Part of the airport is photographed. (Lisa Maree Williams/Getty Images)
The same day, a Qantas Boeing 737 was cleared to cross a runway in front of a Virgin Australia 737 that had just been cleared for takeoff, according to the report.
Nine days later, a Qantas Airbus A321 had to brake while taxiing to allow another Qantas 737 to pass in front of it.
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In a statement to Fox News Digital on Thursday, Sydney Airport said security was its “highest priority”.
“We will continue to support the Minister and Airservices as they work through preliminary findings and appropriate actions,” a spokesperson said. “We await the final reports and possible recommendations arising from the ATSB investigations.”
Investigators are examining whether human resources pressures at Sydney Airport’s control tower played a role in recent runway incidents. (Lisa Maree Williams/Getty Images)
Staffing levels at Sydney Airport’s control tower have emerged as a recurring area of inquiry, investigators said, although they have not determined whether staffing factors directly contributed to the recent incidents.
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“These investigations will seek to understand the significance of staffing resource pressures within the tower, particularly the practice of combining operational roles, the habitual use of overtime to fill shifts and training or supervisory activities carried out alongside operational tasks,” ATSB Chief Commissioner Angus Mitchell said in a press release.
Sydney Airport has recorded the highest rate of ground conflicts per aircraft movement among Australia’s major airports in the post-COVID period, analysis has found. (Lisa Maree Williams/Getty Images)
Investigators also expressed concerns about fatigue, while cautioning that an increased risk of fatigue does not necessarily mean controllers were tired at the time of the incidents.
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“We are reviewing the effectiveness of the measures in place to manage this identified risk,” Mitchell added.
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These incidents came as Sydney Airport recorded the highest rate of ground conflicts per aircraft movement among Australia’s major airports in the post-COVID period, around 20 per cent above the national average, according to a separate ATSB analysis.
Australian transport safety investigators are looking into a series of runway incidents and near-misses reported at Sydney Airport. (Lisa Maree Williams/Getty Images)
Mitchell warned the findings should “be considered in the context of Sydney Airport being the most complex in the country”.
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Fox News Digital has contacted the ATSB for comment and additional information.
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